SPACECRAFT ATTITUDE CONTROL AND MOMENTUM UNLOADING USING GIMBALLED AND THROTTLED THRUSTERS

摘要

SPACECRAFT ATTITUDE CONTROL AND MOMENTUM UNLOADING USING GIMBALLED AND THROTTLED THRUSTERS A spacecraft (201) maintains its north-south positioning by using one of two pairs of single-gimballed throttled thrusters (221-224) on a face of the spacecraft (201). The throttles (118) and gimbals (116) of the thrusters (221-224) are controlled to produce torques on the spacecraft (201 ) that will maintain a desired attitude for the spacecraft (201 ) while simultaneously desaturating the momentum stabilizing wheels (120, 121) of the spacecraft (201).